Select Local Merchants

When he was a boy in the small town of Mount Olive, Illinois, Dr. David J. Rubis dreamed of being a dentist. Doggedly pursuing his goal, he graduated from Northwestern University Dental School in 1978 and opened his own practice. Years later, his son, Dr. Joseph Rubis, followed in his footsteps by joining a growing network of dental-care centers headed by Rubis pére. Now, as the network boasts 30 dentists working at 10 locations throughout Chicagoland, Advanced Family Dental & Orthodontics, PC, continues its founder’s mission to provide the best care for patrons' teeth, gums, and crippling need to collect every color of complimentary toothbrush.

Drs. Sinha, Frer, and Malik are surgeons who not only renovate smiles but also treat facial trauma, TMJ, and sleep apnea in eight different offices across Chicagoland. Whether they're surgically installing a single crown atop an implant or laying down whole groups of top and bottom chompers, the surgeons commit themselves to safety and attentive care. Though specializing in health-related oral surgery, such as orthognathic surgery to fix misaligned jaws and bone grafting, they also can perform cosmetic facial surgery to sculpt the face or add an extra nose.

At Artistic Dentistry, Dr. Joel Akroush anchors general, restorative, and cosmetic dentistry procedures to advanced technology, operating in an all-digital, paperless environment. Dr. Akroush?winner of the Nobel Biocare Platinum Award for dedication to implant dentistry in 2001?graduated from Loyola University's School of Dentistry in 1992, the same year auto mechanics quit performing root canals.
The knowledgeable dentist assesses and fosters oral health with digital x-rays, intraoral cameras, electric dental tools, and a computer system that produces simulated images of patients' smiles prior to the procedure. A leading provider of Zoom! teeth-whitening in the Chicagoland area, Dr. Akroush wields the WhiteSpeed device to brighten teeth by up to 14 shades, while simultaneously keeping patients distracted and entertained by providing 3D glasses that allows them to watch Netflix during the procedure. An Identafi 3000 device screens for oral cancer with light wavelengths, and their Picasso Diode laser can help zap away oral lesions and sensitive roots.

Dr. Michael Egan, a dentist with more than 18 years of experience, works to fill the gaps in grins using the cutting-edge Invisalign system within a comfortable and relaxed atmosphere. Invisalign straightens crooked chompers with a combination of highly advanced, 3-D computer graphics and the spells of old-fashioned orthodontia. The Invisalign process eschews cumbersome braces for clear, removable aligners that are virtually invisible to the unclothed eye. An initial 30-minute exam, including x-rays, photos, and impressions of your mouth terrain, paves the way for a flurry of calibrated teeth sheaths that are designed to slowly shift walnut crackers into perfect alignment. View some Invisalign FAQs here.

At Universal City Dental Center, Dr. Jirair Gasparian and his team perform a variety of procedures intended to protect patients' teeth and gums. Periodic checkups both detect and treat signs of trouble before they become serious complications, but when action is required to correct a problem, the practice offers surgical as well as noninvasive options.
Porcelain crowns and veneers conceal signs of damage, dental implants help fill any gaps, and tooth-colored composite fillings seamlessly replace decay. Additionally, Invisalign straighteners even out smiles, and Rembrandt teeth-whitening products brighten the stains caused by coffee, cigarettes, or a career spent taste-testing food coloring.

All Perfect Smiles' team—three dentists and one periodontist—collaborates to brighten smiles with a suite of preventive, restorative, and cosmetic procedures. Armed with more than 25 years of dental experience, the staff tend to teeth with cleanings, root canals, whitening treatments, and orthodontia such as Invisalign. The team can also resolve niche issues, ranging from sleep apnea to pediatric dental maladies. Regardless of the treatment, the team’s focus on patient education ensures that, unlike people who eat Pop Rocks, patients always understand what happens in their mouths.

Groupon Guide

Crest’s new “Be” toothpaste line poses an interesting proposition—why can’t you have your toothpaste and eat it, too? Manna to party planners everywhere, these gourmet, flavor-enriched toothpastes beg to be incorporated directly into dishes, making it easy for dinner hosts to entice guests into arriving early and staying late by eliminating the need for lengthy dental-hygiene regimens before and after gala parties.
To ease the transition to this wonderful new world of toothpaste cuisine, we've compiled this gourmet international menu, which spans three continents and as many flavors of toothpaste.
If more toothpaste than used for brushing is accidentally swallowed, get medical help or contact a Poison Control Center right away.
First Course: South America
Tuna Ceviche with Crest Be Dynamic Lime Spearmint Zest
Originating from the coastal regions of South America, this light dish highlights the natural flavors of fresh seafood with minimal preparation. Although it appears to be cooked, the raw fish in ceviche is only soaked in lime marinade before serving. In our variation, simply substitute one full tube of Crest's Be Dynamic Lime Spearmint Zest toothpaste for whatever quantity of lime juice your recipe calls for. Crest’s BDLSZ retains the dish's traditional citric flavors while helping fight cavities when used at least twice a day or as directed by a dentist.
Recommended Wine Pairing: A very young sauvignon blanc, showcasing an array of mild fruits, will help expand the ceviche's acidic profile and rinse lingering paste from the tongue.
If more toothpaste than used for brushing is accidentally swallowed, get medical help or contact a Poison Control Center right away.
Main Course: Central America
Chicken Mole Poblano with Crest Be Adventurous Mint Chocolate Trek
Though mole refers to a wide range of traditional Central American chili-pepper sauces, mole poblano is its quintessential version. What sets mole poblano apart is the inclusion of dark chocolate, which combats the chili's heat to provide a rounder and more complex flavor profile. These flavors are especially apparent on chicken, which provides a blank canvas for the chili and chocolate interplay. A full tube of Crest's Be Adventurous Mint Chocolate Trek makes an excellent substitute for raw chocolate here, maintaining the traditional cocoa mouthfeel. Though standard mole poblano stains teeth with its dark color, Crest’s BAMCT not only looks great in its mint-green hue, it also whitens teeth when used at least twice a day or as directed by a dentist.
Recommended Wine Pairing: The heady bouquet of dark berries and distinct vegetal bite of pinot noir grounds the mole's sweet/spicy dichotomy. For dinner guests 6 and younger, pair pea-size amounts of wine and mole to minimize swallowing.
If more toothpaste than used for brushing is accidentally swallowed, get medical help or contact a Poison Control Center right away.
Dessert: Europe
White Chocolate Fondue with Crest Be Inspired Vanilla Mint Spark
The Swiss Cheese Union said it best with its 1981 "Fondue is Good and Creates a Good Mood" advertising campaign. In addition to creating a good mood, fondue can now create an excellent opportunity for promoting dental hygiene thanks to Crest's Be Inspired Vanilla Mint Spark toothpaste. To end your dinner party on a sweet note, blend equal parts white chocolate and Crest’s BIVMS paste into a preheated fondue crock. Once bubbling and emanating its vanilla aroma throughout the room, invite guests to dip slices of plum, apricot, and asian pear into the decadent mixture. The light vanilla flavor pairs perfectly with this powerful bouquet of fruit, while also fortifying enamel with 0.243% sodium fluoride (0.15% w/v fluoride ion) when used at least twice a day or as directed by a dentist.
Recommended Wine Pairing: An exceptionally dry riesling will cut through the fondue's rich saccharine body, making it swishable enough to function as a delectable mouthwash.
If more toothpaste than used for brushing is accidentally swallowed, get medical help or contact a Poison Control Center right away.
Photos by Peter Hopkins, Groupon